The Highlight Reel

Monday

Strange Days Are Ruling the Season's Start • By Peter King :: Not much has gone according to expectations so far in what’s proving to be an unpredictable 2013, plus my thoughts on Aldon Smith. By the way, I thought the Browns were tanking

Keys to Victory • By Greg A. Bedard :: A close look at how special teams, a bootleg and a perfectly timed pass deflection lifted the Dolphins, Browns, Colts and Bengals to wins on Sunday

Tuesday

Cameron Crazy • By Peter King :: Cameron Jordan and the defense are the secret to the Saints' perfect start. Plus, readers ask questions about an un-clutch superstar and teams losing on purpose

Plenty in the Tank • By Jenny Vrentas :: The Browns may have traded their biggest star last week to position themselves for next year’s draft. But a thrilling road win put the focus back on the present, and the locker-room leaders say the mood is positive

Wednesday

Sacked by the NFL • By Emily Kaplan :: The league’s new bag policy aims to make attending games safer, but is it really just a nuisance? So far there’s no clear answer

The Game Through Her Eyes • By Richard Deitsch :: Suzanne Smith’s colleagues describe her as decisive, perceptive and the ultimate pro. Just don't call the only woman directing NFL games a pioneer

A Not-So-Simple Twist of Faith • By Jenny Vrentas :: The Pro Bowl fullback was returning, and the Vikes needed to clear a roster spot. Rookie Zach Line’s tweaked knee provided them with a solution that left him in a strange place (and we don’t mean London)

A European Vacation, and No More • By Don Banks :: Branching out in London long-term? Before the NFL gets ahead of itself, it should seriously reconsider the reasoning, benefits and risks of planting a franchise across the Atlantic

A Wild One • By Peter King :: Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer reflects on one of the strangest games in recent memory, and outlines how Cincy will know whether it's a great team

How Cover 2 Became an Endangered Species • By Andy Benoit :: For two decades the two-high safety look was a staple of Sunday afternoons. But better quarterbacks, more receivers and quicker routes are altering defensive philosophies. Just watch the Bears-Lions game this weekend

Thursday

It's Not Easy, but It Is Noble • By Andrew Lawrence :: Adrian Peterson’s quest for 2,500 yards is running up against the cold reality of NFL defenses primed to stop him. But there’s a beauty in his pursuit of runners who came before him, and in his evoking the lost glory of the ground game

A Day for Defense • By Peter King :: Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan and Bengals coordinator Mike Zimmer join me on the podcast this week

Desperation Rising • By Alessandro Miglio & Eric Edholm :: Up against the wall already in this young fantasy season? You'll have to be bold in Week 4 to get back in the game

Don't Forget About Ahmad • By Peter King :: The Trent Richardson trade was splashy, but Ahmad Bradshaw was emphatic in his message to the Colts last week. Plus, I preview my favorite game of the week

Same Old Chargers • By Jim Trotter :: After bringing in a new GM and a new coach this offseason, San Diego appeared to turn a corner with a last-second win over the Eagles in Week 2. But not so fast. Why does this franchise continue to choke in close games?

NFL Overseas Makes All the Cents in the World • By Andrew Brandt :: Money-hungry NFL owners won't be denied when it comes to full-time football in London, and it'll be a European vacation compared to the first foray 22 years ago

Hail to the Chiefs' Pass Rush Revival • By Greg A. Bedard :: How did Kansas City go from one of the league's worst pass-rushing teams to one of its best? A few reasons, but the results are showing up in our Pressure Points rankings

Friday

Ram Soft • By Robert Klemko :: Believed to be a strength heading into the season, the defense in St. Louis has been downright dreadful in 2013, as seen in Thursday's loss to San Francisco. Can the Rams overcome this disastrous start?

A Game With No Clear End • By Austen Lane :: When you’re cut for the second time in three months, you begin to see football, and yourself, in a new light. You’re waiting for a call from a new team, or for an alarm to go off telling you it’s time to move on

Music City Makeover, or Music City Mirage? • By Peter King :: Jake Locker has been one of the league's most improved players through three weeks, but the next month will let us know if it's for real; more things I'll be looking for in Week 4

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